'Well, then, come across the road,' answered Maggy in a very loud

whisper. 'Little Mother wasn't to know nothing of it, and she would

never have known nothing of it if you had only gone So and So, instead

of bothering and loitering about. It ain't my fault. I must do what I am

told. They ought to be ashamed of themselves for telling me.'

Clennam crossed to the other side, and hurriedly opened the letters.

That from the father mentioned that most unexpectedly finding himself in

the novel position of having been disappointed of a remittance from

the City on which he had confidently counted, he took up his pen, being

restrained by the unhappy circumstance of his incarceration during

three-and-twenty years (doubly underlined), from coming himself, as

he would otherwise certainly have done--took up his pen to entreat Mr

Clennam to advance him the sum of Three Pounds Ten Shillings upon his

I.O.U., which he begged to enclose.

That from the son set forth that

Mr Clennam would, he knew, be gratified to hear that he had at

length obtained permanent employment of a highly satisfactory nature,

accompanied with every prospect of complete success in life; but that

the temporary inability of his employer to pay him his arrears of salary

to that date (in which condition said employer had appealed to that

generous forbearance in which he trusted he should never be wanting

towards a fellow-creature), combined with the fraudulent conduct of a

false friend and the present high price of provisions, had reduced

him to the verge of ruin, unless he could by a quarter before six that

evening raise the sum of eight pounds. This sum, Mr Clennam would be

happy to learn, he had, through the promptitude of several friends

who had a lively confidence in his probity, already raised, with the

exception of a trifling balance of one pound seventeen and fourpence;

the loan of which balance, for the period of one month, would be fraught

with the usual beneficent consequences.

These letters Clennam answered with the aid of his pencil and

pocket-book, on the spot; sending the father what he asked for, and

excusing himself from compliance with the demand of the son. He then

commissioned Maggy to return with his replies, and gave her the

shilling of which the failure of her supplemental enterprise would have

disappointed her otherwise. When he rejoined Little Dorrit, and they had begun walking as before,

she said all at once:

'I think I had better go. I had better go home.'

'Don't be distressed,' said Clennam, 'I have answered the letters. They

were nothing. You know what they were.




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